suppose, with Dr. Young, that

An undevout astronomer is mad;

there being no necessary connexion between a devout state of mind and
the observations and calculations of a practical astronomer. It is
not until the man withdraws from his calculation, as a painter from
his work, and thus realizes the great idea on which he has been
engaged, that imagination and wonder are excited. There is, I admit,
a possible danger here. If the arithmetical processes of science be
too exclusively pursued, they may impair the imagination, and thus the
study of Physics is open to the same objection as philological,
theological, or political studies, when carried to excess. But even
in this case, the injury done is to the investigator himself: it does
not reach the mass of mankind. Indeed, the conceptions furnished by
his cold unimaginative reckonings may furnish themes for the poet, and
excite in the highest degree that sentiment of wonder which,
notwithstanding all its foolish vagaries, table-turning included, I,
for my part, should be sorry to see banished from the world.

I have thus far dwelt upon the study of Physics as an agent of
intellectual culture; but like other things in Nature, this study
subserves more than a single end. The colours of the clouds delight
the eye, and, no doubt, accomplish moral purposes also, but the
selfsame clouds hold within their fleeces the moisture by which our
fields are rendered fruitful. The sunbeams excite our interest and
invite our investigation; but they also extend their beneficent
influences to our fruits and corn, and thus accomplish, not only
intellectual ends, but minister, at the same time, to our material
necessities. And so it is with scientific research.

While the love of science is a sufficient incentive to the pursuit of
science, and the investigator, in the prosecution of his enquiries, is
raised above all material considerations, the results of his labours
may exercise a potent influence upon the physical condition of the
community. This is the arrangement of Nature, and not that of the
scientific investigator himself; for he usually pursues his object
without regard to its practical applications.

And let him who is dazzled by such applications--who sees in the
steam-engine and the electric telegraph the highest embodiment of
human genius and the only legitimate object of scientific research,
beware of prescribing conditions to the investigator. Let him beware